Maxine Waters facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maxine Waters
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Waters in 2012
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| Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Patrick McHenry |
| In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Barney Frank |
| Succeeded by | Patrick McHenry |
| Chair of the House Financial Services Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Jeb Hensarling |
| Succeeded by | Patrick McHenry |
| Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus | |
| In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Donald M. Payne |
| Succeeded by | Jim Clyburn |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California |
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| Assumed office January 3, 1991 |
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| Preceded by | Augustus Hawkins |
| Constituency | 29th district (1991–1993) 35th district (1993–2013) 43rd district (2013–present) |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 48th district |
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| In office December 6, 1976 – November 30, 1990 |
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| Preceded by | Leon D. Ralph |
| Succeeded by | Marguerite Archie-Hudson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Maxine Moore Carr
August 15, 1938 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Edward Waters
(m. 1956; div. 1972)Sid Williams
(m. 1977) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | California State University, Los Angeles (BA) |
Maxine Moore Waters was born on August 15, 1938. She is an American politician. Since 1991, she has served as a U.S. Representative for California. Her district covers parts of southern Los Angeles, including cities like Gardena and Inglewood.
Maxine Waters is a member of the Democratic Party. She has been in the House of Representatives for 18 terms. She is the most experienced black woman serving in Congress. From 1997 to 1999, she led the Congressional Black Caucus. She also chaired the House Financial Services Committee from 2019 to 2023.
Before joining the U.S. House, Waters served seven terms in the California State Assembly. She was first elected there in 1976. As an assemblywoman, she worked to stop state funds from supporting businesses in South Africa. This was because of South Africa's unfair system called apartheid. In Congress, she spoke out against the Iraq War. She has also openly criticized several U.S. Presidents.
Time magazine recognized Maxine Waters in 2018. They included her in their list of the "100 Most Influential People".
Contents
Early Life and Education
Maxine Waters was born in 1938 in St. Louis, Missouri. She was the fifth of 13 children. Her mother raised her and her siblings alone after her father left when Maxine was two. She finished high school in St. Louis. In 1961, her family moved to Los Angeles.
Waters worked in a clothing factory and as a phone operator. Later, she became an assistant teacher for the Head Start program in Watts in 1966. She then went to Los Angeles State College. In 1971, she earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from what is now California State University, Los Angeles.
Early Political Career
In 1973, Waters started working for City Councilman David S. Cunningham, Jr.. She was elected to the California State Assembly in 1976. In the Assembly, she fought to remove state retirement funds from companies doing business in South Africa. This was to protest apartheid, a system of racial separation. She helped pass laws that supported this effort. She also became the leader of the Democratic group in the Assembly.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
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Joining Congress
Maxine Waters was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1990. She represented California's 29th congressional district. She won with a large majority of the votes. She has been reelected many times since then. Her district was renumbered as the 35th district in 1992. In 2012, it became the 43rd district. She has always won with at least 70% of the votes.
Her district covers large parts of south-central Los Angeles. It also includes coastal areas like Westchester. Cities like Torrance, Gardena, and Inglewood are also in her district.
Key Moments in Congress
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In 1994, Waters gained attention during a House meeting. She interrupted a speech by Representative Peter King. Her behavior was called "unruly," and she was asked to leave for the day. This happened after a heated discussion about the Whitewater controversy.
Waters led the Congressional Black Caucus from 1997 to 1998. In 2005, she spoke out against dishonest for-profit schools. She pointed to a "problem school" in her area. In 2006, she was part of a debate about a hospital. She criticized how a local newspaper covered the hospital.
Waters supported Hillary Clinton for president in 2008. Later, she switched her support to Barack Obama. In 2009, she had a disagreement over funding for a job training center named after her. In 2011, she voted against a defense law. This law allowed the government to hold people without trial.
When Barney Frank retired in 2012, Waters became a top member of the House Financial Services Committee. In 2013, she voted to limit the National Security Agency's data collection on U.S. citizens. In 2014, she proposed a bill to fund affordable housing. This bill aimed to help low-income families, seniors, and disabled people. She also supported a bill for reparations for slavery for black Americans.
For her work as chair of the House Financial Services Committee, Waters received an "A" grade. This was from a group that checks how well Congress oversees things.
"Reclaiming My Time"
In 2017, during a committee meeting, Waters questioned Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. When he didn't answer her questions directly, she repeatedly said, "reclaiming my time." This phrase became very popular online. It was often used when people criticized President Donald Trump.
Speaking Out
Waters has been a strong voice on many issues. She has often spoken out against unfairness.
In 1992, after the Rodney King verdict led to riots in Los Angeles, Waters became well-known. She led chants of "No justice, no peace". She also helped deliver supplies to affected areas. She described the riots as a "rebellion" and a "spontaneous reaction to a lot of injustice."
In 2018, Waters urged people to speak up to officials from the Trump administration. She said they should tell them they were "not welcome anymore, anywhere." This caused some debate.
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In 2021, Waters attended protests in Minnesota. She spoke about the upcoming verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial. She said, "I hope we get a verdict that says guilty, guilty, guilty. And if we don't, we cannot go away." She also said protesters should "get more active" and "get more confrontational." These comments caused some controversy. The judge in the trial called her comments "abhorrent." Waters later said her words were taken out of context. She said she meant speaking up and working for new laws.
In 2018, packages containing pipe bombs were sent to two of Waters's offices. They were found before anyone was hurt. Similar packages were sent to other Democratic leaders. A man later pleaded guilty to sending the bombs.
Committee and Group Memberships
For the current Congress, Maxine Waters is the top member of the Committee on Financial Services. This means she can attend any subcommittee meeting.
She is also part of several important groups:
- Chief Deputy Whip (a leader who helps gather votes)
- Co-founder and former Chair of the Out of Iraq Caucus
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
- Congressional Black Caucus (she was chair from 1997-1999)
- Medicare for All Caucus
- Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment
Political Views
On Presidents
In 2011, Waters criticized President Barack Obama. She felt he wasn't doing enough for the black community. She pointed to high unemployment rates among African Americans. Obama responded by saying it was time to "stop complaining" and work with him.
Waters has strongly criticized President Donald Trump. She called him "a bully, an egotistical maniac, a liar." She also said he was "the most deplorable person I've ever met." She began calling for his impeachment early in his term. She believed he had conflicts of interest and caused "chaos and division." She linked Trump to white supremacist groups. She said the White House had become the "White Supremacists' House." In 2019, she voted to impeach Trump twice. She called him "the worst president in the history of the United States."
In 1992, Waters called President George H. W. Bush "a racist." She said he used race to push his policies.
On the Economy
In 2019, Waters asked Facebook to stop its plans for a new cryptocurrency called Libra. She said the cryptocurrency market needed clear rules to protect investors and consumers. She also worried about privacy and national security risks.
On Foreign Affairs
In 2008, Waters introduced a bill to limit how investors could collect debts from poor countries.
Cuba
Waters has visited Cuba many times. She has praised some of Fidel Castro's ideas. She also criticized U.S. efforts to overthrow Castro. She called for an end to the U.S. trade ban on Cuba. In 1998, she asked Castro not to send a convicted person, Assata Shakur, back to the U.S. Waters said many in the Black community believed Shakur's conviction was unfair.
Haiti
Waters was against the 2004 coup in Haiti. She criticized the U.S. role in it. After the coup, she helped the Haitian President, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, travel to Jamaica.
Nagorno-Karabakh
In 2020, Waters signed a letter condemning Azerbaijan's actions against the Armenian area of Nagorno-Karabakh. She also criticized Turkey's role and called for an immediate stop to the fighting.
On Political Movements
Waters has been very critical of the Tea Party movement. In 2011, she said, "the 'tea party' can go straight to Hell." She added that she intended to help them get there.
On War
Iraq War
Waters voted against the Iraq War Resolution in 2002. This resolution funded military action against Saddam Hussein. She has always criticized the war. She supported taking troops out of Iraq right away. In 2007, she said President George W. Bush was "wasting" money and soldiers' lives in Iraq. She argued that the money spent on the war could be used for healthcare or education in the U.S. She also said many soldiers joined the military because they needed jobs and money.
Personal Life
Maxine Waters's second husband is Sid Williams. He used to play professional football. He was also a U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas. They live in Los Angeles.
In May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Waters shared that her sister, Velma Moody, had died from the virus at age 86.
Other Achievements
- The Maxine Waters Preparation Center in Watts, California is named after her.
- She helped start the Black Women's Forum.
- She also helped create Community Build.
- She received an award for her work helping homeless people.
- She received the Candace Award in 1992.
Images for kids
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Waters greeting President Bill Clinton in 1994
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Waters watches as President Joe Biden signs bills in 2021
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Waters at a 1998 House Committee on the Judiciary hearing
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Waters at the Daunte Wright protests in 2021
